Signal.



' No. 879,022. PATENTBD PEB. 11, 1908.

E. A. WOLF.

SIGNAL.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 1, 1907.

A/lomeyg UNIT EDGAR A WOLF, O F NERSTRAND, MINNESOTA.

SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed August 1.1907. Serial No. 386597.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR A. WOLF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nerstrand, in the county of Rice and State of Minnesota, 'have invented certain new and `useful Improvements iny Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it `appertains to make and use .the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in signals and more particularly to ythat class adapted to be used in connection with rural mail boxes `and my object is to provide means to operate the signal when the mail is placed in the box.

A further object is to provide means for holding the signal in its adjusted position and a further object is to provide means for manually operating the signal when desired.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this ap ication, Figure l is a side elevation of a mail) box, showing my improved form of signal and operating mechanism therefor in position. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the box showing the-signal removed from view. Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the signal set, and, Fig. 4 is a detail, plan view of one corner of the box showing the signal operating mechanism thereon.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a box, such as is commonly used on rural routes for receiving mail, said boxes being preferably provided at one end with a door 2, which is hinged at its lower end to the bottom of the box, while the upper end thereof is provided with a hooked member 3, by which means the door is readily opened or closed and said hooked member is also adapted to engage a spring latch 4, extending over the end of the box 1 and curved downwardly to engage the hooked member, thereby positively holding the door in its closed position.

In using mailboxes of this class, it is customary to place the samealong the road-way, where it will be readily accessible to the mail carrier and, as the boxes are usually at a distance from the dwelling, I provide means for informing the patron when mail is left in the box and, thereby, preventing an unnecessary trip to the box when there is no mail for the patron and, to this end, a signal 5 is pivotally secured to the opposite end of the box from that occupied by the door, it being understood that this end o f the box is towards the dwelling.

The signal is pivotally secured at its lower end to the box l and at a point adjacent the lower edge of the box, said signal being arranged to swing laterally or from side to side of the box and in order to hold the signal in its adjusted position, a spring 6 is fixed. at its upper end, midway between the edges of the signal and above the longitudinal center thereof, while the lower end of the spring is fixed to the end of the box and in such position that when the signal is swung past a vertical position, the longitudinal plane of the spring will be at one side of the pivotal point 7 of the signal, thereby directing a pull on th'e signal.

Substantially one-half the end of the box is provided with a housing 8, in which the signal 5 is adaptedv to rest when there is no mail for` the patron, the housing being of suf'licient dimensions to completely cover the signal when the signal is swung to that side of the box containing the housing.

When the signal is moved to the opposite side of the box from that occupied by the housing, the major portion of the signal will be exposed to the view of the patron, thereby signifying that there is mail in the box.

The signal is so connected to the door 1, that said door cannot be opened without setting or exposing the signal and, to this end, a bell-crank lever 9 is pivotally secured to one side wall of the box and at that end occupied by the signal, one arm of the bell-crank lever being connected to the signal by means of a itman 10, while to the opposite arm of the ever 9 is secured a rod 11, said rod extending substantially the full length of the box and is flexibly secured at its forward end to a hand lever 12, said lever being in turn pivotally mounted on a shaft 13, carried by the door 2 and projecting from one edge thereof, thereby completing connection between the door and signal.

When the mail-carrier opens the door 2 to insert or remove mail from the box, the low- If the carrier has deposited mail in the box, he simply closes the door 2 and leaves the signal 5 in its exposed position, the rod 11 and hand lever 12 assuming the position shown by dotted lines 14 and 15, respectively, in Fig. 1. If, however, the carrier does not place mail in the box, but opens the door to remove mail therefrom, he irst closes the door 2 and then depresses the extended end of the lever l2, until the lever and rod assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, which will swing the signal into the housing and remove the same from view, thereby indicating to the patron that there was no mail placed in the box.

As the signal is swung to its different po sitions, the spring 6 vaccordingly moves to one side of the pivot point of the signal and holds the signal in its adjusted position, that is to say, when the signal is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the spring 6 is moved to the left of the pivot point 7, thereby holding` the signal within the housing, and, as shown in Fig. 3, when the signal is moved to the opposite side of the box or to an exposed position, the spring 6 is moved to the right of the pivot point 7 and holds the signal in its exposed position, and it is my intention to rovide the signal with a color, such'as re so that said signal will be clearly distinguishable from the remainder of the box when exposed to view.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very convenient means of notifying the patron when mail is deposited in the box, and one that will be operated when the door of the box is opened and it will further be seen that by providing the housing for the signal, said signal will be protected from the Weather the maj or portion of the time or when not in use.

Vhatl claim is:

l. A signal of the class described, comprising the combination with a box; of a signal, pivotally secured to the closed end of the box, a housing on said box, adapted to receive said signal when not in use, a bellcrank lever on said box, a pitman dis osed between said signal and bell-crank ever, means on said box to operate said signal and additional means to hold said signal in its adjusted position.

2. A signal of the class described, comprising the combination with a box, having a door at one end; of a shaft on said door, a lever pivotally secured to said shaft, a signal pivotally secured to one end of said box, a bell-crank lever pivotally secured to the box, a itman disposed between one arm of said be l-crank lever and signal, a rod flexibly connecting the opposite arm of said bell-crank lever and the inner end of the lever on the shaft,

whereby, when the door is opened, the signal will be exposed to view and removed from view when the door is closed and the lever depressed and a spring adapted to hold said signal in its adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDGAR A. WOLF. Witnesses M. E. UGGEN, K. A. FINsETH. 

